(A) Any person, firm, or corporation must contact the Urban Forest Commission through the Public Services Department before planting a tree on the public right-of-way or on public property. The Florence Urban Forest Management Plan will be consulted to determine if a planting site or planting area exists. If the proposed tree planting site/area is not listed in the Urban Forest Management Plan, the following specifications shall be considered to identify a tree planting site/area:
(1) A tree lawn width of five feet shall be required for small trees, eight feet for medium trees, and ten feet for large trees.
(2) The minimum distance between trees shall be 20 feet for small planting sites, 30 feet for medium planting sites, or 40 feet for large planting sites.
(3) All planting sites shall be at least 35 feet away from street intersections.
(4) All planting sites shall be at least 10 feet away from fire hydrants, driveways, utility poles and street lights.
(5) All planting sites shall be at least ten feet away from any visible or identifiable underground utilities.
(6) All small tree planting sites shall have an overhead clearance of at least 25 feet.
(7) Large and medium planting sites shall not be located underneath wires, but they may be located adjacent to wires if there is an offset of at least 20 feet from the vertical plane of the nearest wire to the centerline of the tree.
(8) All planting sites shall be located at least ten feet from the front and three feet to the sides of the padmount transformers.
(9) Planting sites located along a newly developed public street shall be located nine to 12 feet off the back of the curb.
(10) The size and species of a tree(s) selected for planting shall conform to the size of the planting site.
(B) In addition, before any tree is planted on city property or right-of-way, by or with the permission of the Urban Forest Commission, the planting site or areas shall have written approval of the following:
(1) The City Police Department. The Police Department shall determine whether a tree on the proposed planting site would be detrimental to public safety, whether as a visual obstruction, or otherwise.
(2) Public utilities. Appropriate public utilities shall be contacted to determine if a planting site(s) would interfere with existing or planned utility facilities.
(Ord. O-12-93, passed 5-11-93) Penalty, see § 99.99